Strategy Rules audiobook cover - Five Timeless Lessons From Bill Gates, Andy Grove and Steve Jobs

Strategy Rules

Five Timeless Lessons From Bill Gates, Andy Grove and Steve Jobs

David B. Yoffie and Michael A. Cusumano

★ 4.1 / 5(140 ratings)
Start ListeningDownloadQR code that opens AudiobookHub on the App StoreTry free on iPhoneScan to start in 5 seconds
Categories:
Management & Leadership

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

Listen to Strategy Rules — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from Strategy Rules

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Strategy Rules

Mind Map

Strategy Rules
Vision & Priorities+
Market Timing & Defenses+
Calculated Risk-Taking+
Platform Over Product+
Judo & Sumo Tactics+
Leadership & Team Building+
Modern Applications+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
How did Bill Gates use his interpretation of Moore's Law to define Microsoft's early priorities?
  • A. He realized hardware would become highly profitable and focused on building proprietary computers.
  • B. He anticipated that computing power would eventually become virtually free, so he focused entirely on software.
  • C. He predicted that vertical business structures would fail and focused on horizontal supply chains.
  • D. He determined that graphical user interfaces were a fad and prioritized command-line systems.
Question 2 of 8
Why did Intel's groundbreaking conference calling service, ProShare, fail in the 1990s?
  • A. Competitors launched a cheaper, cloud-based alternative at the exact same time.
  • B. Andy Grove refused to license the technology to other manufacturers.
  • C. The software was too complicated for the average consumer to install.
  • D. The required hardware was too expensive and data transfer technology was slow and unreliable.
Question 3 of 8
How did Steve Jobs mitigate the massive risk of switching Mac computers from PowerPC hardware to Intel microchips?
  • A. He relied on the massive financial cushion provided by extraordinarily high iPod sales.
  • B. He secured a major government grant to subsidize the transition costs.
  • C. He released the iPhone simultaneously to distract consumers from the Mac transition.
  • D. He laid off thousands of employees to ensure the company remained profitable during the switch.
Question 4 of 8
What is an example of a 'Sumo' tactic in business strategy, as described in the text?
  • A. Feigning harmlessness as a niche outsider to secure better contract terms.
  • B. Opening up a platform to third-party developers to encourage organic growth.
  • C. Using the Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt (FUD) strategy by announcing a product early to freeze competitors' sales.
  • D. Creating a universal hardware standard and making it freely accessible to all manufacturers.
Question 5 of 8
How did Andy Grove use a platform strategy to exponentially increase Intel's microprocessor sales?
  • A. He patented the USB and charged competitors exorbitant licensing fees to use it.
  • B. He opened a lab to discover computer improvements like the USB, and made the findings accessible to all manufacturers.
  • C. He built an exclusive, closed ecosystem that only allowed Intel software to run on Intel chips.
  • D. He acquired major computer manufacturers to force a monopoly on the hardware market.
Question 6 of 8
Why was Tim Cook considered the perfect partner and successor for Steve Jobs?
  • A. Cook possessed the advanced coding and hacking skills that Jobs lacked.
  • B. Cook was a high-energy, extroverted salesman who balanced Jobs' introversion.
  • C. Cook had deep connections with major record labels, which was crucial for launching iTunes.
  • D. Cook handled finances and operations, allowing Jobs to concentrate on his expertise in design and user experience.
Question 7 of 8
What strategic move in 2007 allowed Facebook to achieve exponential growth and surpass MySpace?
  • A. Expanding the platform's availability from Harvard students to the general public.
  • B. Opening its doors to outside developers, giving them tools to build Facebook applications.
  • C. Introducing a premium, ad-free subscription model for power users.
  • D. Acquiring major competitors like Instagram to consolidate the social media market.
Question 8 of 8
What business lesson is demonstrated by Apple's release of the iPad, which cut into their own laptop sales?
  • A. Companies should always discontinue older products before launching new ones.
  • B. Hardware companies should eventually pivot entirely to software to survive.
  • C. It is sometimes necessary to cannibalize your own successful products to stay competitive and convert new users.
  • D. Releasing products too quickly can permanently damage a company's core revenue streams.

Strategy Rules — Full Chapter Overview

Strategy Rules Summary & Overview

Strategy Rules (2015) explores the business strategies and leadership styles of three hyper-successful tech CEOs: Bill Gates of Microsoft, Andy Grove of Intel and Steve Jobs of Apple. These blinks break down the strategic expertise necessary to build a competitive business and ensure long-term success.

Who Should Listen to Strategy Rules?

  • Businesspeople who want to learn from the success of Microsoft, Intel and Apple
  • CEOs looking for a strategic boost
  • New entrepreneurs looking to develop a vision for their ideas

About the Author: David B. Yoffie and Michael A. Cusumano

David B. Yoffie, in addition to being the longest serving member of the Intel board, teaches business administration at Harvard Business School. He is a prolific writer and the author or editor of nine books, including the bestselling Competing on Internet Time (co-written with Cusumano).

Michael A. Cusumano has been writing about the software industry since 1985. He is professor of management at MIT and the author or editor of 12 books, including the classic Microsoft Secrets.

🎧
Listen in the AppOffline playback & background play
Get App